Suburban train has small accident at Sealdah, inquiry launched

Kolkata, July 19 (IANS) A suburban train got partially derailed after hitting the platform buffer at Sealdah south section here, injuring at least three passengers during the busy office hours on Wednesday morning, official said.

The Eastern railway authority suspended the Electronic Metro Unit (EMU) driver and motorman and set up a three member inquiry committee to look into the accident. It would submit a report within one week.

"The down Sonarpur-Sealdah Local was accidentally over speeding and hit the guard wall on platform No 13 of Sealdah south section around 10.25 a.m. on Wednesday. Two wheels of a train coach got derailed in the impact," Ravi Mahapatra, Chief Public Relations Officer of Eastern Railway, told IANS.

According to the official, the train was supposed to stop at least four or five feet before the buffer at the terminal station but, instead, it hit the guard wall.

Local sources at the station claimed that at least 21 passengers sustained injuries in the accident while the Eastern Railway said they have only received reports about three injuries.

"According to our estimation, three passengers sustained minor injuries in the accident. They were rushed to the nearby B.R. Singh Hospital and were released after first aid," Mahapatra said.

He said two local trains were cancelled after the incident. However, train services were maintained through the other platforms.

"The primary investigation show that the train was running at a permissible speed. However it failed to stop at the desired position. We have constituted a inquiry committee with three railway officers from the Sealdah subdivision. They would submit a report within one week," Mahapatra said.

The driver of the EMU, Mainul Haque, and the motorman, R.A. Biswas, have been suspended till the inquiry is going on, he added.

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